What to do in China

Sightseeing

This is probably the most exciting activity to do in anywhere in China. Many people visit China for the lone purpose of sightseeing. China boasts of having some of the most well-preserved historical artifacts and infrastructure, as well as the most wonderful natural sceneries. The Great Wall of China and the different temples and pagodas seen in almost every major Chinese city make a feast for your eyes.

So when visiting China, you should always be prepared with your binoculars and trusty camera; bring extra batteries too. It is not only the sceneries which will keep you busy clicking; you can also take wonderful photos of the Chinese people, from the older generation practicing Tai Chi at the park to the young fashionable folk in Shanghai – the people of China really add to the already remarkable eye candy that this country has to offer.

Shopping

As we all know, some of the cheapest toys, clothes, and shoes in the world are made – and sold – in China. Naturally, the country is a place for great bargains.

The best place in China to go shopping is Shanghai, “the Paris of Asia,” the largest and most modern city in China. Here you can find here a store of every major international clothing brand on earth.

But shopping is not only done in Shanghai or other larger cities in China. A lot of smaller towns in China offer authentic Chinese handicrafts for a very reasonable price. It is always good to buy something to let you remember your trip to China.

Cruising

In China you will find the largest river in Asia, the Yangtze river, so one of the more popular activities that tourists do in China is go on a river cruise.

One of the most sought after river cruises in China is the Yangtze River cruise. Tourists do not cruise through the whole length of the Yangtze river but only through a part of it, focusing only on the Three Gorges Dam.

Other popular cruise tours are found in the Lijian river in Guilin, the Huangpu River in Shanghai, and the canals of Suzhou, often called the Venice of the East.

Cruising is best for tourist ages 30 and above because there are not many other activities on the cruise ship. The river cruise was designed to be a relaxing activity where all you have to do is sit back, relax and enjoy the scenery.

Cultural immersion

Since China has one of the oldest civilizations, there is just so much to learn about history and culture in this diverse country. From the different dialects of the North and South, to the world famous Chinese cuisine, the richness of Chinese culture is simply astounding.

Aside from museums and restaurants, tourists can also visit some of China’s numerous theaters and wushu (a.k.a. kungfu) schools, and marvel at the amazing artistry displayed by the athletes and performers there – many of whom have been training since they were five years old.

Wushu lessons

There is no better place to learn wushu than where it all began: in China.

In Chinese, the word wushu literally translates to “war art.” Those of us who watched a lot of Jet Li movies know it as kung fu – but wushu isn’t really all about fighting. Its more about balancing your inner qi (energy), and developing your muscles and cardiovascular fitness.

Many foreigners from all over the world flock to China just to learn wushu, or have a taste of it, as it something you really can’t learn in a year. For short visits, you may instead choose to take lessons on taichi, a slow-moving wushu form. It is quicker to learn taichi basics, but it may take longer to master it than the fast-moving wushu forms.

The Henang Dengfeng Shaolin Epo Wushu College, which is one of the oldest and best wushu schools in China.

If you are not really interested in learning wushu but want to watch exhibitions instead, you can go to the Beijing Red Theater and catch a kung fu show. The Laoshe teahouse in the Xuanwu district does not only hold shows for acrobats, opera, and folk music performances, they have special wushu performances as well.